MOTOR BOATING

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 139, 9 December 1935, Page 4

MOTOR BOATING

NEW CLUB FORMED

HUTT VALLEY ENTHUSIASTS

The opening of the season of anew organisation, the Hutt Valley Motorboat Club, was held on Saturday. The Heretaunga- Boating Club's premises were lent for, the occasion, and were filled with members of the new club and visitors.

The" Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash), who performed the opening ceremony, said he would be pleased to do what he could to make motor-boat-ing popular. Motor-boating was one of the new forms.of pastime, but the production of motor-boats .was rapidly increasing. One firm in America built from, 1500 to, 2000 motor-boats a year. The first motor-boat -was invented in 1885, and the Daimler Company began building motors for boats in 1890. Outboard motors came into being about twenty-five years ago. The proposal to reclaim between 90 and 100 acres at the mouth of the Hutt River would have h very beneficial, effect for motor-boat owners, said Mr. Nash. It was hoped that ,the bed of the river would be lowered,, and this would, have the effect of removing for all time the possibility ol floods at Lower Hutt and Petone, of giving profitable developmental work, and of offering' better facilities for motor-boat clubs. He thought there were facilities on Somes Island that ought to ho made available to the people if possible. The only difficulty would be in connection with the quarantine arrangements, but- if these could be transferred to another place or confined to a section of1 the island, yachtsmen' and motor-boat owners should have the • privilege of landing on.Somes Island. ■'■_ '

The Commodore of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht. Club, Mr. W. P. Rollings, said it had been the experience of yachting clubs in other parts of New Zealand' that motor-boat owners were affected by different conditions from yachtsmen. As development took place it became necessary '•■ for motor-boat clubs to have a separate existence. The fact that the Hutt Valley Club had begun its operations with, something like forty-six boats augured well for the future. . It was, the desire of yachtsmen to be able to land on Ward Island and Somes. Island. Two 01 three months ago a large deputation waited on the then Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, ,with the request thafc they should be allowed to use Somes Island as a landing place, and the case was-strongly put forward by Mr. Nash, who was now Minister of Finance. The reception was far from encouraging, said Mr. Rollings, but he ventured to predict that before .many months were past motor-boat ownersand yachtsmen would have the privilege of landing on some part of Somes Island.

In extending a welcome to the visitors. Mr. C. Garrooa, commodore of the newly-formed club, said the club had been formed specifically to cater for motor-boat owners. Considerable expense was entailed in providing gear to keep the boats in order, and it was therefore decided to form a club to provide workshops, slipways, and other necessities for motor-boats. As the club progressed, it was intended to venture into racing.

Other speakers were Mr. A. Scholefleld, Mayor of Petone. and Mr. J. W. McEwan. patron of the Heretaunga Boating Club.

A large, tree on Mrs. G. Kelly's pro- * perty in Opotiki, which was struck by lightning four weeks ago, and has been smouldering ever since, burst into flames at an early hour on Friday morning, states a correspondent. The fire brigade worked for an hour and a half before the flames were extinguished. Fortunately the brigade was able to prevent the fire from spreading to Mrs. Kelly's house, which , at one stage was in danger of catching alight.